PFAS AND EMERGING CONTAMINANTS

Drinking water utilities across the United States are being impacted by emerging contaminants such as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) above the USEPA health advisory levels and individual state regulatory standards.

Weston & Sampson has been advising and assisting our clients on the issues and implications relative to PFAS for several years. The impacts of PFAS contamination have been felt in drinking water supplies, the wastewater industry, landfills, groundwater, and many other areas, and our professionals are frequently invited to present on the latest technologies and regulatory issues at conferences throughout the country. Weston & Sampson has been working for many years with federal and state regulators investigating PFAS and have helped develop sampling and testing protocols for soil, groundwater, and biosolids. This is a rapidly evolving issue with many changes in state and federal regulations, sampling requirements, and analytical methods. These changes are also having an impact on the management of sludge, landfills, and water supplies.

Our team of PFAS experts, including scientists, engineers, risk assessors, and communicators, are available to help you navigate this complex issue. We can help you understand sources of PFAS, their fate and transport, toxicity, treatment options, and rapidly evolving regulations, as well as help manage wastewater residuals.

A rendering showing Curtis Apartments at night with lights on and pedestrians walking on the sidewalks.

Trinity Financial’s Vision for the Curtis Apartments Redevelopment - Jessie Johnson's article in High Profile titled, "Revitalizing Great Brook Valley: Trinity Financial’s Vision for the Curtis Apartments Redevelopment," outlines the transformative project.

Expediting a Project Schedule to Upgrade Student and Family Housing at UMass Amherst - To expedite the schedule that required the first new units be available by September 2022, Weston & Sampson worked with UMass to design the demolition and construction phasing to facilitate immediate P3 redevelopment.

Scientific consultation and input regarding emerging contaminant use, fate, and risk
Third-party review of scientific reports
Assisting with developing regulatory evaluation criteria language
Policy development team member
GIS-based potential source screening and impact assessment prioritization
Forensic source determination support
Emergency point of entry/point of use treatment system design and installation support
Emergency response assistance including water supply and environmental media sampling, public outreach, and reporting

Best practices development and consultation regarding on-going development of new PFAS related standards
Regulatory consultation and assistance with biosolids handling impact analyses
Waste characterization and disposal method comparisons
Evaluation of existing management and treatment technologies
Land application criteria evaluation
Historical land application impact assessments
Fate and transport studies at existing/historical land application sites
Development of sampling and testing protocols
Land application site assessment

Multi-pathway human health and environmental risk assessments factoring PFAS life cycle and transfer mechanisms throughout the environmental system
Interpretation of existing and proposed federal and state regulations and guidance. Presentation to clients and the public in clear and concise work products
Toxicity data evaluation, interpretation, and utilization in conceptual and actual exposure models
Risk communication with regulatory agencies and the public in a manner that is easy to understand and respectful to all concerned and potentially impacted parties
Public health exposure mitigation strategy evaluation and design

Pre-Construction Support

Environmental due diligence
Geotechnical and permitting support
Environmental mitigation and regulatory compliance strategies
Pre-characterization

Design Support

Plans and specifications
Soil and groundwater management
Regulatory requirements and coordination
Cost estimation
Design team partner
Public relations and community engagement

Construction Support

Construction administration
Resident representative services
Soil and groundwater management and disposal
Regulatory documentation and reporting

GIS-Based PFAS Risk Evaluation Toolkit

Weston & Sampson assisted the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP) in developing a comprehensive GIS-based toolkit to evaluate relative PFAS release risks across the state. The toolkit was designed as a web app hosted in the CTDEEP’s ArcGIS Online organization.